1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel tape cassette, more particularly a novel tape cassette which can unlock tape reels without requiring a tape player to be provided with such means as reel lock release pins solely for the purpose of unlocking tape reels, and can prevent a tape from slackening without fail.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many cases, tape cassettes are provided with a reel lock mechanism to lock tape reels with a tape wound up therearound and stop them from rotating in order to prevent slackening of the tape while in storage or transfer.
Conventionally adopted for such tape cassettes is a reel lock mechanism which, when a tape cassette is loaded into a tape player, requires tape reels to be unlocked by reel lock pins provided to the tape loading section of the tape player.
However, a tape player using a tape cassette provided with a reel lock mechanism as described above inevitably requires reel lock release pins as its essential constituent element. Furthermore, a so-called multi-tape compatible tape player allowing the use of tape cassettes of different sizes makes its designing complicated with the position of reel lock release pins and their number needing to be taken into consideration, among other things.
A reel lock mechanism of the type described above also requires a tape cassette to be provided with holes formed in its casing to get the reel lock release pins inserted thereinto. Such a tape cassette is prone to dust which is allowed thereinto through the pin holes and makes it unfavorable and disadvantageous in appearance.
Furthermore, such a conventional tape cassette reel lock mechanism tends to cause slackening of a tape at the time of its unlocking.